Tips on trimming hydrangeas??

I have 4 of them in from of my house...they were gorgeous and BIG when they were in bloom...but now they are just turning brown but none of the flowers are falling off.

I am afraid to touch them (I have a black hand..worse than a black thumb

I don't want to ruin them..

what do I do?

thanks

=)

Re: Tips on trimming hydrangeas??

Whatever you do, don't cut them! My husband cut mine to STUBS last year (without me knowing) and I barely got any flowers this year. I told him if he tries to touch it this year, I will break his hands. lol

There is a way to prune them but I dont know how so I'm sticking with better safe than sorry this time around...

Re: Tips on trimming hydrangeas??

I planted mine last year and did nothing and they grew beautifully this year. So I'm doing the same - nothing. They really look awful over the winter and almost look dead but they're not.

Re: Tips on trimming hydrangeas??

The dried flowers can be deadheaded anytime-that is the flowers removed but not the branches. I have seen people dye the dried flowers different colors and use them for decorating but I don't have the time or the patience for that!
Pruning depends on the species you have. We have a mophead that we prune late spring/early summer. That's when we remove the dead canes(the ones that don't have the leaf buds). If you don't want a lot of dead canes then protect the plant during winter with a heavy blanket.

Message edited 10/4/2011 11:12:43 AM.

Re: Tips on trimming hydrangeas??

I have heard that you snap the dead ends off. I have never removed the entire dead cane. I was told by a friend who gardens to just snap the dead dpart off, and that it will naturally snap off wherever the best spot is for it.

This is what I've been doing for the past few years and the plant has about tripled in size! I was just actually thinking this year that it better not get any bigger because it will block the gate to the backyard!

Re: Tips on trimming hydrangeas??

Many Hydrangea bloom on branches in their second year so you don't want to trim them back. I leave the dried flowers on until spring, letting them add some visual interest to the yard when the snow covers them rather than just leaving bare sticks. In the spring, once the leaves start to come out, I trim back any sticks that don't have any green coming out and I trim off the dried blooms at that time too.

Re: Tips on trimming hydrangeas??

Lots of great info here. Mopheads have already set their flowerbuds for next season so if you trim too far, you'll be cutting off next year's buds.

I keep the flowers on for Halloween because I like the look of dead flowers with fake cobwebs on them.

Then I cut off the flowerheads only, just below the bloom.

In spring, I reach into the middle and rock each branch back and forth - if it's loose, I pull it. If it's not loose, I leave it.

That's really all I do for them, and they thrive.

Re: Tips on trimming hydrangeas??

hydrangeas hints on pruning:

Don't deadhead your hydrangeas.

(1) All dead stems should be removed from hydrangeas every year.

(2) After the plants are at least 5 years old, about 1/3 of the older (living) stems can be removed down to the ground each summer. This will revitalize the plant.

(3) In addition, if it becomes necessary to prune a plant to reduce its size, it may be cut back in June or July without harming the next year's bloom. But it will return almost immediately to it's former size. This is one reason why it's best to plant a hydrangea where it does not have to be pruned.

(4) When you cut blooms for arrangements in June or July, you can cut them with long stems because the bloom buds haven't set for the following year. (5) When you cut the blooms after the first of August, it would be safest to remove them with very short stems so you won't disturb any developing bloom buds for next year. As long as you cut above the first set of large leaves, the blooms will be fine.